Kingdom Hearts Chronicles
by Mikami's Pen
Summary: It's been a year since Sora and Riku had returned home, but life on the islands will never be the same This fanfic dives deep into the emotional and phisical strain of finding out your reason and place in life.
1. Chapter 1

Kingdom Hearts Chronicles

Prologue: Dreams of a Horizon  
There was a thick feeling in the dry desert air as Sora felt the sand crunching beneath his bare feet. He looked around the wasteland seeing nothing but shadows in the distance. Sweat drenched his forehead and ran down to his eyes causing them to burn, making his vision distorted. "Where am I? Is this a dream?" The shadows quickly became figures in the distance as they drew closer as he stumbled, unable to take much more of the dying heat. A blast of wind caught him off guard as he tumbled backwards, inhaling sand and dirt, he held his hand over his nose and mouth as the wind struck him once more and then settled. He tried to resist coughing for he knew he might vomit and lose the only food he would have for days in this desolate place. "This must be a dream." The figures seemed to change into people but they were still too far away to be recognized. The burning in his throat became unbearable to where he could no longer hold his cough. He choked and wheezed as he attempted to crawl but it was no good, another wind blew by and knocked him down again. He clawed at the sand-filled air attempting to grasp clean oxygen but to no avail. He clasped in the warm desert sand, unable to keep going, as he finally caught his breath, he felt panic rise, no, not panic, fear. "You make a good other." Hissed a voice from above, he rolled over on his back to see their faces, familiar faces. He stared at them in disbelief; the people were long dead and looked it too. Roxas, Axel, Namine, it all seemed too real. "This has to be a dream." It was only a year since he had seen them………could they have actually died or do Nobodies really die? One of them, Axel, was staring at him with such intensity although he looked like he was ready to be put in the ground; his eyes were dead and pale green as they matched the pale white face that looked as though its skin would slide off if he touched it. It opened its mouth although the jaw seemed as though it hung there. "He made me feel like I had a heart." Its voice hissed as the last one did. Sora flipped over immediately as he scrambled past the two but stopped a few feet away when he caught a glimpse of her. She was a beautiful woman with long locks of silver hair that concealed most of her dead face. She grinned and whispered a long-forgotten phrase, "You're cut out to do something great, I know it." Sora clawed the sand attempting to escape but the Axel and Roxas quickly dove onto him, holding him down. "No!" Sora managed to choke out before the Namine place her hand over his mouth and dragged him backwards by the tail of his jacket. He kicked and flailed, attempting to wound someone or something, as he began to gnaw on the Roxas' arm they suddenly dropped him. He stood up and, before he realized it, they had formed a half circle in front of him as he looked back, there was only a ledge to free him from the nightmare. He looked up at the woman but she only laughed as the others began to push him off of the edge. He bit and slapped them away and looked once more down the ledge before sliding off of the edge.

Falling wasn't that bad, it beats being murdered by those visions from his past. But the falling stopped. It just stopped. He looked up to see Riku gripping his hand, his face concealed by his hair, "Oh Riku!" Sora shouted "Help me up quick!" as he hung there the wind blew Riku's hair out of his face to expose a grin, "Riku! RIKU!" he shouted, "Riku, please!" He felt tears running down his cheeks as he slipped out of Riku's grasp. "What's wrong with you!?" he looked down and then back at his friend to see a pair of glowing yellow eyes as he bent over to where his face met Sora's ear and whispered "I will break you"

Rolling out of bed, Sora gasped as he fell onto the floor, making air fill his lungs the second his back hit the cold floor, knocking it out again. He wiped the sweat off of his face and rested his head on the wooden floor for a few minuets. He looked over to the clock on his bedpost "Seven thirty two." He confirmed to himself. He pulled off his Pajamas and rummaged through his dresser for a clean shirt. As he pulled on his jeans he hobbled to his mirror to check to see if he was at least decent looking, he ran his fingers through his spikey hair and pulled his backpack out of a pile of old videogames and looped his tie over his neck. He scrambled to the door only stopping to see his mother sprawled out on the couch, he felt a sick feeling rise in his stomach as he headed out the door and hurried to school.

Chapter 1: Just another ordinary day…..right?

Reaching the front steps of the school, he found Riku sitting in the tree where the teachers don't normally look. "Skipping again?" he commented. Riku scoffed and the comment "In what job will I need to learn a pot from a pan?" Sora and Riku engaged in throwing insulting remarks toward each other. "Who knows? You might be the housewife of every man's dreams" he scowled as Sora dashed inside before he could respond.  
As Sora walked through the halls of the High School he looked around at all of the "Above the Influence" posters and peeked through the windows of each classroom and could only wonder why he missed such a dull place as this island. As he looked through his class' window he saw his answer; there she was, her red hair was tucked neatly in a bun with just a small lock of hair hanging downward in her face; she was writing frivolously before she sat up and tucked the lock of hair behind her ear as her eyes met his she giggled and nudged Tidus who was asleep beside her. He blinked a few times as she whispered in his ear, his eyes widened and he turned to face Sora and rolled his eyes. The sensei walked up to them and began bickering her usual speeches Sora slumped down and walked to his locker, it was better than listening to that woman.  
As he walked down the corridors he could only remember what happened a year before; waking up in a strange town, fighting Organization XIII, saying farewell to Axel, learning about his other self Roxas, and reuniting with Riku and Kairi. Lately a reoccurring nightmare has been haunting him although he has had similar dreams before…  
The bell snapped him back to reality as Riku shot around the corner, swung his arm around his neck, and slammed him against the lockers "That's for being a smartass!" he yelled. He let him go and rested his hand on Sora's head, "So what's with you lately? You're acting as spaced out as you used to!" Sora swatted his hand away, "Its not that-" they both froze as he felt the air became heavy. Riku seemed to have felt it too, he was as alert as a watch dog, "Do you smell that?" he asked.  
Riku had a disturbingly keen sense of smell which Sora had never actually gotten used to. He was so flustered by it "Something dark is passing by……" his eyes were wide as he searched around for where the smell came from. The feeling faded as Riku seemed to calm down. Sora leaned against a locker and exhaled deeply "I get these weird sensations when something bad is about to happen." They seemed so caught up in what just happened to notice Stephlie and Kairi standing behind them. Stephlie's jaw dropped "What the-" she waved her arms in front of Sora's face "Hello! Earth to Sora!" Sora turned to her "Oh, hey." She looked over his shoulder at Riku "um what's with the sniffing?" Sora turned around to see that he had his face pressed against the wall "Oh him?! He's just acting stupid, you know." Kairi pulled Sora away "So, aren't you going to be a gentleman and escort me to my next class?" Sora smiled and said "Yeah, we should leave him to cover for his own strange habits." Kairi glance at Riku as a look of concern drifted onto her face, she walked right in front of him and placed her hand on his forehead, causing him to stop his 'activities' for a few moments "Are you okay?" he seemed distraught over her question "I'm fine!" he slapped her hand away and walked off. Stephlie stared at him for a few moments "What's his problem?!" she huffed and turned and walked to her next class. Kairi sighed and stood there, Sora could almost feel her frustration she then turned around to face him, "What about you?" Sora patted her shoulder, "I'm okay if can ever get over his new hobby." She smiled and tugged on his tie "Where's your second year's jacket?" Sora, noticing he forgot it, shrugged it off, "Who cares? I don't look like a first year anyway!" Kairi sighed "You're right; you look more like a bum!" Sora grinned and patted her back "Same difference." He laughed and before she reached the classroom door, he held her shoulders tightly and, as she swung around to see him, he had a grim expression. "Meet me and Riku at the Paopu tree…" he released her and walked to his class, leaving an air of seriousness holding its place around her.

Kairi pursed her lips together as she watched the clock, waiting for the bell to ring, Wakka sat across from her watching her concentration. He looked up at the clock "Are you trying to make it go backwards or forwards?" She glanced at him "oh um…sorry" she scooped up her work and began filing it into each folder. It always annoyed him "Man! Why do ya do tat?" She looked up "huh? You mean organize?" He sat up and waved his arm in the air to signify his distress "I hate that! That! When you do that!" she cocked her head to the side, "So you dislike me organizing?" Wakka picked up her papers and shoved them into her backpack. "It bothers me ya! A girl who has to go to work and still has noting but manners!" Kairi smiled at his concern, "Its okay I've been caught up in everyone else's problems…" Wakka raised an eyebrow "Yes, Sora is acting all-" he was cut off by the shriek of the bell as everyone rushed out the door. Kairi bowed in apology as she headed out the door "oh I'm SO sorry but I have to go!" she rushed out of the school, hoping to find Sora on her way to the tree. She hummed with every step as she paced her way to the shore.  
The sun was quite harsh today, forcing Kairi to chuck off her jacked and shoes. As she approached the curved tree her eye caught the bright sun reflecting on Riku's thick, silver hair she sighed in admiration for she had always dreamed of having hair like him although she would never actually tell him so. "Hi! Riku!" she waved her hand as she tossed her jacket and book bag towards the tree. She felt so nice in the warm air although winter was still winter and chilly winds came and went. Sora was just walking up when Riku settled himself on his normal seat on the tree. Sora positioned himself in front of them; his expression hasn't changed since that morning. Sora's voice was so strong and firm that it seemed almost unrecognizable. "Something is coming. I don't know what it is but it's something bad." Riku had an anything but jovial look on his face but they seemed so serious. "So what you're saying is that we've got to fight?" Sora nodded "Precisely. What ever it is must be here for something right?" Riku grinned as he pulled out a large stack of paper "Exactly. Now, read this." He handed Sora a sheet of paper as he scanned in "Um and? What does this have to do with anything? It's just an old Organization report." Riku snatched the paper out of his hand "Thank you; I needed a translator for these. Oh, and that 'thing' dropped these, but don't worry, I'm on it." Sora froze "huh? What 'thing'?" Riku shook his head "These have been dropped whenever I smelled it….whatever it is….…I'm guessing it's looking for Sora, and considering the fact that all of these are about him." He shoved the papers back into his sack and swung it over his shoulder "Just do whatever you normally do and leave the big job to me." He then turned his nose and left. Kairi had never seen them act this way it was like they were soldiers, not friends. Sora gritted his teeth and let out a scream as the pounded his fists against the tree "I hate it when he acts like that!!!!" startled by his outburst, Kairi could only stand there and stare as he snatched up his backpack and walked off. She was just so worried about him "Sora!" he turned slightly as she caught up with him "Is something bothering you again? Is she getting more violent lately? Do you need to come over for dinner tonight?" Sora seemed flustered by her concern "Oh no. I'm fine, just nightmares; nothing too serious." She searched his face to see if he was fibbing "I just don't want you worrying about me. I'm fine, really." As they started walking together her heart felt lighter as though he steals away the pain in her heart. She began to smile and watch him as he quietly pushed the raft into the water and turned to her, "What's funny?" she noticed that she had been staring "oh um, nothing!" he held out his and gently helped her into the boat "It's starting to rain, I'll walk you home." As he reached for an oar she noticed a large wound along his knuckle that went down the top of his arm about a foot long "Is she getting worse?" Sora, knowing who she was talking about shook his head "No."

The ride home was quiet except for the sound of the waves crashing against the sides of their raft. Kairi began to hum an old lullaby as it set an eerie tone to the dying sun and cold air rising. Sora remembered the lullaby; she sang it repetitively for about a month after she had washed up on the shore, "It must have been what her mother sang to her as a child." He thought to himself, "Now she only sings it when she's afraid or sad" he stared at her, wondering what was going through her head as the tide reflected the rising moon. The raft began to shake and snag as Sora jumped out and dragged the raft on shore. Kairi began mumbling under her breath "The sky sheds its tears" she looked up as tiny droplets fell from the gaping cloud that hung over them. Sora handed Kairi her jacket and smiled "I guess that means you'll be needing this." He put his arm around her as she tucked her head under the thin jacket, the light rain changed as a heavy downpour beat down on the two. They broke into a run down the road as the distant sound of waves crashing in tune with the rain slowly faded.

The rain soaked Riku barged into his home, his hair had turned from its light silver into a dull grey. As he stepped through the door he noticed that the housed had been empty for hours. "Hello! Kakeru! I'm home!" guessing no one was home; he closed the door and slumped into the kitchen. "I guess I'll just have to look for something in the fridge like a starved hobo!" he called. Closing the fridge he noticed a noted that was quickly jotted down hours before ~had a date, left a sandwich for you so don't order anything! Love, mom~ Riku rolled his eyes at the word "mom" he scoffed as he looked around for the sandwich "She couldn't have hid it anywhere where I'll see it, oh no, she's not THAT smart…" he found only found a plate with something that resembled a sandwich. He picked up and, on his way to his room, dumped it in the garbage with little, if not, any thought. He tossed his book bag into the sea of paper and clutter that stacked his room up to the ceiling. "I wonder who number eight is….I wonder if he's still running around" he began rummaging through a stack of papers until the opened a file labeled 'Subject: Traitor, No. 8' it struck curiosity but as a yawn came over him he tossed it back into the pile and crawled into bed.  
A rustling noise caused Riku to wake although he didn't move for he couldn't pinpoint its scent. They came close to his bed and began to flip through the files he had lined up on the wall. As it searched the edge of his bed, he bolted towards it and summoned his Keyblade, striking the shadow as it stumbled backwards. The scent came in all too easy; under the cloak was a teenaged female girl who was shocked at the attack. He pounced at her, pinning her against the wall as she flailed and tried to run. "Now, I'm gonna ask nicely, who are you? Why are you after me?" She tilted her head upward to reveal a grin, "Stupid boy!" she laughed, "I'm not here for a weakling like you!" she then jammed her knee into his gut and ran her long fingernails down his cheek as he gasped in pain. She pounced on his back and began to claw his back as her teeth dug into his shoulder. Riku slapped her away as darkness shot out of the wooden floor creating a barrier between them, Riku grinned, "Didn't expect that now did you!?" She scowled at him and jumped out of his window. He waited a few moments before he slumped to the floor, the blood dripping from his wounds made a tapping sound on the floor as he tried to catch his breath.

Sora lay up in bed, unable to sleep for fear of having another nightmare like the last. He glanced out his window, staring at the moon through the trickling rain as a wave of despair washed over him once again. He sat up in bed feeling his heart begin to race in his chest. There was no sight of anyone yet there was something. He swiped his mp3 off of his bedpost and began to blast his ears with music to keep him awake as he tried to keep his eyes open. The sun began to peak over the island but this time it didn't dissolve his sadness, "I can't leave again, she's too sick for me to leave …"  
The next morning, as he was walking to school he noticed Riku covered in scratches and surrounded by first-year girls. "Oh you poor thing!" one squealed, "I can't believe that there are wild dogs running around attacking people!" another pondered. Riku, noticing Sora bowed to the group, "My apologies, I have to take this moment for close friends." As he approached, Sora raised an eyebrow, "Wild dogs?" Riku raised a hand to the scratch over his eye, "um well, not actually, but um I was attacked…" Sora scoffed at him, "I can see that." Riku rolled up his sleeve to inspect a rather large bite impression, "Aw man, it's turned purple…" Sora stared wide-eyed at it as Riku tried to explain "umm well, this girl snuck into my room and…..I jumped her and she attacked me." A wave of concern spread through Sora's face "She was going through those files and told me that she wasn't after me….and that's what happened" He pulled his sleeve down and shrugged, "I guess it's you they're after, it can't be anyone else." He crossed his arms over his chest "Of course I don't know what they would do with an inbred cleanup boy…" Sora smirked "Well, it must be better than a jobless princess…"

Riku had a sarcastic grin on his face, "You only wish you had a face like mine." He slid down the hill and ran over to the where he had laid his book bag, "So how is that place? Is the pay good, cuz I-" He looked up to find Sora gazing out at something "Sora!" he barked as he stomped up the hill "How long is your attention span, really?" Sora snapped back to reality, his face red, "Oh, sorry…" Riku looked over to see what he was staring at only to find Kairi and Stephlie walking together "Oh, I see." A smirk grew on his face, "I'm guessing it wasn't Stephlie you were staring at now was it?" Sora's face was still red "No, it wasn't like that!" Riku burst out laughing "Oh don't worry Sora, I already know how you feel about her." Sora became agitated "I don't, she means a lot to me but not in that way!" Riku patted his head "Okay! Okay! I believe you!" He then remembered what happened before he was attacked, "Hey Sora, have you ever heard of number VIII of Organization XIII? Sora looked up at him, knowing the person all too well, "Axel, he was Roxas'……" he trailed off, trying to find a good word for their mentor-student relationship, "companion." Riku rolled his eyes, "Nobodies can't feel and they can't even have friends!" For some reason, Sora felt insulted by the comment, "He is- was part of the Organization." Riku nodded "So he's dead." Sora felt even worse, "That report yesterday was in Sai'ax's handwriting but I don't know how I knew that." Riku began to walk up to the cement stairway, "That's simple; Roxas is part of you now." Sora started to follow behind him, "Huh? You mean Roxas is still in me?" Riku glanced back at him "As much as Ansem is in me." He opened the door, letting Sora enter first, "I haven't had any seizures lately and my burning hate for people isn't as bad." Sora smiled "Then I guess your nearly cured?" Riku shook his head "Nope. But I'm in control of it." Sora approached his locker and began toying with the lock "So how is your mom?" Riku leaned against the locker next to his, "If you mean Kakeru, she's fine. How is your happy little family?" Sora gritted his teeth and slammed his locker, "Man, Riku, you should learn when to shut up!" he stomped off leaving Riku amazed "I didn't know you knew how to get angry…awell, he'll get over it…" He slung the book bag over his shoulder and trailed off without another thought about it.  
At lunch, where girls normally run amok telling all they know, Sora seemed quiet, staring down at his hands. Riku settled himself beside him "So, what's new?" Sora didn't look up, "Oh, come off it Sora! I was just joking with you!" he then noticed Sora wasn't awake, "What?! I apologies and you aren't here to hear it!" he sighed and turned to his lunch. Wakka sat down across from him, sipping on his soda, "Wow, he's upset." Riku looked down at Sora to see that he was rolling his head on his arms as he let out small whimpering noises. "Um, wow he's really distressed. Maybe I should wake him up" Riku lifted his hand to aid him but paused at Sora rolled off of the table without waking. He just happened to fall behind Kairi; she swung around and knelt beside him. "What happened?!" she cried, "He's out cold!" the color drained out of Riku's face as a sensei walked up beside him, "And who did this?" Riku looked up at him and tried to explain "He's asleep! I swear!" Sora began to stir as he rolled over and looked around "What just happened?" Riku pointed at him and rolled his eyes "You've slept hard." Sora was shaking as Kairi brushed her hand over his sweating forehead "Are you okay? You're starting to worry me." Sora stood up and wiped his pants, his face was red with embarrassment, and he walked out of the cafeteria without a word. Kairi started after him yet Riku grabbed her arm and shook his head "Don't run after him, he's fine." Kairi slapped his hand away "Don't just say that he's fine! He needs someone and if it won't be you then let me go!" Riku lightened his grip on her hand as she ran out of the cafeteria.

Kairi ran through the halls as people whisked by her, "Sora!" she called as she saw a familiar shape slip into the boy's restroom, she paused for a moment considering what the consequences would be but Sora was most important right now. As she crept into the bathroom she noticed the floor was flooded about half an inch high with water "Thank God! Its broken…" she crept up to a closed stall and knocked on it "Are you okay? I'm so worried about you. You haven't been acting like yourself lately and I'm scared that you've changed…" Sora opened the stall door by only a crack, "That's what I'm afraid of. I feel like I'm not myself, I get so angry and I don't know why. Sometimes I think 'It's just a phase I'll grow out of it' like the teachers told me but……I don't know…." Kairi pressed her head against the door, "Whatever you're going through we can help, me and everyone else but y u need to tell us that something is wrong." Sora pressed his cheek against the door, almost mirroring Kairi's action, "Thank you, Kairi, I don't know how but you make me feel like I have someone to stand up on. You know?" Kairi gently smiled, once again being lifted by Sora's words. "I can't help but to be drawn to you. I guess we were lucky that I washed up on shore." Sora pushed the door open, knocking Kairi into the sea of toilet water "I'm sorry!" he wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull her up only to slip into the foul-smelling liquid. He caught a gasp of the grotesque waft in the air, "Aw man, what IS this stuff!?" Sora, with his arms still around Kairi, scrambled out of the bathroom, soaked head to foot. Kairi tapped his shoulder "Oh and guess what? Prom is coming up in a few weeks!" He laughed and stood her upright, "I know this isn't the time or place to be talking about this but I'll chip in for your dress. What do you like?" She shook the water out of her shoes and laughed "Well I'll have something better than this."

The walk home was quiet for Riku, since Sora and Kairi wanted to wash up before leaving. There was a faint scent in the air but he couldn't determine what it was, at least until he trailed downhill "Ugh!" he gagged as the familiar smell filled his nostrils, Darkness. It smelled similar to Ansem yet its different somehow it wasn't his own hatred mixed into it he started to walk through the forest as the scent grew stronger suddenly, a voice cut the silence, "She's such a klutz! Why do we trust her with the Organization's reports!" it was a girl although he was unable to catch her scent for the overpowering dark reek covered up everything else. A boy's voice answered, "He doesn't like it when his followers are insulted. Besides this 'key' is hard to find, every time we pin point him he vanishes between light and darkness. I don't know how he does it!" Riku rolled his eyes knowing the answer. He sat calmly as he extended his arm, letting darkness accumulate at his palm. "Riku-kun?" the darkness shot off as he rolled over to see her, Thorn, his girlfriend, her hazel eyes filled with fear. Two black figures emerged from the bushes as Riku tackled Thorn, holding her close. One figure screamed "How do you like me now silver?!" she landed on his back and summoned a Keyblade. Riku rolled left, attempting to escape her blade, 'I have to protect her!' Riku thought as he pushed her away just as the boy delivered a blow to his gut. Thorn didn't run, "Get out of here!" he screamed while dodging their blows but she just stood there, wide eyed. Two people jumped from above, "Firaga!" they shouted as a blast of fire sputtered out of their Keyblades, not just any Keyblades, Sora and Kairi's. As Sora flipped around to aid his friend, the other figure summoned a rather large axe-like Keyblade and clumsily swung it around, cutting Kairi's back. She let out an ear-splitting screech as she fell to the ground. More figures appeared out of the forest revealing that one was holding a Keyblade to Thorn's throat. Riku looked up at Sora, who was now standing, as the dark smell seemed to vanish. 'Is Sora that strong? Can he wipe out darkness with just his heart?' Sora seemed to have a look of hate on his face as one, rather large, figure appeared, Riku felt his heart sink as cold, dead, air brushed through him. The hooded man bowed, "After all of these years, this is the chance I have been waiting for!" Sora cocked his head and raised an eyebrow "What do you want here with us?" The man straitened himself up, "I am Azzama, your humble servant here to lead the Key to its rightful place." Sora shook his head "No. You're anything but humble…If you are my servant then call these followers of yours off." Azzama smirked and raised a hand Sora suddenly fell to the ground, unable to breathe, "You're a young boy, Sora, and you don't know what you can be." He walked towards Sora, drawing a dagger, "No!" Riku called out as he stabbed the man's hand, and as Azzama screamed in pain as his followers began to pull Riku off "No!" he scrambled to his knees and crawled towards his friend. Kairi ran towards the man, as he grabbed her by the ankles and, screaming "Don't interfere!" he effortlessly threw her a few feet away. There was a gunshot over in Thorn's direction, as Riku turned, he witnessed a flash of who she really was as the man behind her slid onto his knees and dropped to the ground. Thorn pulled out a hand gun from behind her back and pointed at Azzama, "I believe Riku-kun is My property and Sora-chan is his responsibility." Riku then tackled the man, "You're gonna pay!" the attack was futile as Azzama pulled him away by his hair and ran to Sora, plunging the weapon into his chest. Kairi, Keyblade raised, ran behind him and struck the man's head and dived on top of Sora, who was clawing at the dagger, curled up in pain. She rolled him over and pulled it out causing blood to splatter on her uniform as Sora seemed to settle in her arms as he drifted between consciousnesses. Riku ran over to them as Kairi handed Sora over to him. The anger boiled deep inside of him as the foul smell of rotting flesh filled the air as darkness crawled up his body. Azzama seemed intrigued by it "Why would such a boy waste his time with a demon like you. It fueled Riku's hate, as his skin turned from a tan to a coal-black shade from his chin to his feet; his eyes seemed to burn with intensity. "He understands us; he cares for us when no one else will; and he's a hell of a lot better than you….." darkness began forming on the ground around him. Azzama laughed "Is that it? Mere tricks affect me!" as he ran towards them a vine crawled out of the darkness and shredded his leg with its thorns. Riku felt the vines twisting up his legs and arms he turned to Thorn and offered his hand "Don't worry; I won't let it hurt you." She nodded and jumped towards him, as the vines wrapped around her and slammed her against the ground. Riku stood as everyone started to sink into the dark depths, "You lose." He grinned as his body sank down into the black.

One follower raised a Keyblade but his master raised his hand, "No. I don't think forcing him is the best choice. Maybe if we showed him his potential….." the boy became distraught, "What do you mean?" Azzama only laughed, "He will make a choice…."

End of Chapter 1

Terms to Know: These were used in the previous story  
Sensei – a sensei is a teacher *most of u probably knew that*

Name extensions (I don't know what to call it)  
-kun – refers to a boy (but is used with boy's names even though the person might be a girl)  
-chan – refers to a younger person or for someone considered adorable (the second reason is why she calls him Sora-chan)


	2. Crisis

Kingdom Hearts Chronicles

BTW IM SORRY FOR ANY BAD GRAMMER THAT I DID NOT FIND!!

Author's Note: Quick thing to say here, there is no Character bashing in here at all.

NOW ENJOY THE EXTREMELY VIOLENT NEXT CHAPTER OF KINGDOM HEARTS CHRONICLES~

Kingdom Hearts Chronicles Chapter 2: Crisis

Darkness…that was all Riku could see as he began to scan the blank waves for Sora. He knew how to embrace the darkness that flowed through him yet he didn't know what kind of effect it would have on the others. This was how it always was in the Dark Corridors, black, cold, lifeless to the point where you felt drawn to it. The long tunnel almost brought back chilling memories when, suddenly, he felt something, a happy feeling. He kicked off of a nonexistent wall and floated towards it although it seemed distant he slid his hand through a large clump of darkness to find an arm, a tiny arm. Riku felt that it was Sora but yet- there was a jolt that rushed through his body as his grasp slipped away he felt his body fall numb. The silver haired boy glanced back at where he was to see a winged creature, not Sora, something not human. Rays of light exploded behind Riku's head, forcing him to drift into unconsciousness, staring back at that angelic thing floating above him as he closed his eyes.

A cold breeze drifted over the canyon, Leon stared through the land as a tiny woman gracefully slid into position beside him. "Isn't it beautiful?" she whispered into his ear. The tall man glanced back at her in shock, "You mean this?" he said, motioning to the long abandoned crevices that covered most of their world. "No" she replied with a joyful grin, "I mean that." She pointed towards a tiny shop where a family was hurriedly working to get their items in stock, "It's beautiful of how we all came together and made this our home again." Leon rolled his eyes, "There will be bloodshed soon…and for what?" The petite woman sighed and slid away from him. "There's just no changing you Squall…"

Screams echoed among the canyon as Riku shivered in pain. "Damn it!" he cursed, more at himself than at his wounds. The long crevice stretched far out, connecting town with the abandoned plains where Maleficent resides. There were memories here too yet these didn't affect him as much they used to. He stood up, fighting the strain in his legs, and limped towards an opening in the stone wall. Riku wasn't afraid, he was never afraid, he was only worried for Sora. As he passed the corner he felt something warm touch his arm, "There you are Riku-kun!" It was Thorn, her black hair was knotted but other than that she seemed fine. A rather large grin stretched across her face, she snatched a lock of his hair and yanked it downward. Riku, surprised by this strike of violence, fell to her side. "What the Hell was that about?" he screamed, "What was that demon voodoo crap you were pulling?!" He slapped her hand away and gritted his teeth, "It wasn't voodoo, it's……." he then realized that she saw too much, "It's something that you shouldn't know about, wait—what were you doing there anyway! She giggled and slammed her fist against his head, "Oh, now that's something you shouldn't know about." Their rather frightening conversation was broken by a sudden commotion near by. They both, struck by curiosity, scurried past the corner to see a tiny crowd gathered at the entrance of a store.

Kairi was caught in a dispute as two store keepers yanked on her arms, "Um, I don't want the job, no thank you" one old lady pulled her in, "Oh come on sweetie you would look so good in this dress!" Riku and Thorn exchanged glances before walking into the crowd. Thorn widened her eyes to show her dark makeup seem dead on her plain face as her white eyes stared deep into one of the shopkeeper's "Wouldn't you rater have me have the job?" the old woman was shocked at her and immediately rushed back into her shop. Thorn patted Kairi's head and smiled "There you go!" Riku then began to pull them out of the crowd, "Lets go we have to find Sora!" He let go of them as he walked up ahead, the usual stern look on his face, "Wow, is he always like that?" Thorn asked, surprised by his sudden change. Kairi laughed and began to follow, "He's as random as they come." The sun began to set against the sky creating a purple haze as the silent tune of crickets filled the air.

Crystals of ice blew around Sora's head, the land was so frigid and white that everything seemed dead. He trekked uphill, protecting his face from the cold, attempting to find the others. All sound was murdered by the thick snow, all except one gentle voice, "Oh my, are you cold?" He swerved around yet no one was to be seen, "My dear child, are you scared?" Something jolted in his heart as he fell to his knees and scrambled up hill, digging his fingers into the numbing snow. Tears dressed his cheeks in a freezing cascade as he pulled and kicked his way to the top. Looking over the small tip, he saw no one. Feeling relieved at last from whatever was stalking him; he fell to his knees, gasping for air. The cold breeze whisked through his hair and filled his lungs and started to suffocate him. "What are you running from?" a long figure shot up from behind. Sora immediately kicked away from it, his eyes burning from the icy wind. Looking up at it's face he could only see long silver hair hiding red eyes that seemed to glow back at him, "Leave me alone!" he screamed at it, yet that didn't stop her. She then touched his arm, "Don't be afraid." She stroked his hair and began to hum a sweet tune. This was an old memory, so old that it didn't feel right. Sora then yanked her hair our of her face to reveal the horror that it hid. "Don't look at me!" she screamed in an almost shrill voice. The image was burned into his mind forever, "What are you?!" he screamed as he slid down the hill. She glanced back at him and slammed her hand against his face. "Why are you doing this to me?!" she screeched. Sora felt himself letting go of control and roll down the hill. As his roll started to turn violent, his face slammed against the hard ice and his arms were repeatedly cut against the snow. His screams were muted by the snow as he felt himself float away. Suddenly he realized; this wasn't real.

Sora felt himself come out of sleep yet in a few moments; his body was struck with a horrible pain that seemed ricochet through his veins. '_You just HAD to land in a ditch did you?'_ Sora stared up at the dark sky, unable to move, "Come on, Roxas, I have no time for your complaints." He raised an arm but the pain shot down to his hand and it fell back to his side. _'Wow, that helped'_ Sora attempted to seem angry but he hurt too much to care, "Look, just let me die in peace." He rolled to the side although it didn't take the pressure off of his back. _'Okay then, die._' Sora rolled his eyes at the comment, "I can't even walk what do you want me to do?" Sora waited a few moments but to no avail, Roxas stopped talking and Sora was alone.

They had been walking all night and the trio was yet to find Sora, Thorn crossed her arms and turned to Riku, "Okay that's it. I want you to tell me what is going on!" Riku froze and walked over to a small rock, "Alright, I guess you have the right to know." He sat down on the rock and positioned himself to where he was comfortable, "Kairi, and I are Keybladers and Sora is a Keyblade Master. We are supposed to cleanse the world of evil and so fourth and so on. Any questions?" Thorn stared back at him, a stern glare in her eyes, "okay here's the first one; how do you expect me to believe any of that crap? This isn't a videogame, there's no such thing as evil!" Riku sighed in exasperation at her, "as you wish" he lifted his arm and closed his hand in a tight fist as a flash of darkness and light filled his palm. As it whipped around his arm and object appeared, some kind of winged sword, "No way, this can't be real! I mean, you're the most boring person I know!" Riku bit his lower lip "I'm boring?" She patted his head and laughed "Oh Riku, you're so funny!" Kairi walked ahead and motioned her arm towards a spot opposite of the canyon. "That looks like a good place to check!" Thorn nodded in agreement and followed Kairi's lead as Riku was still sitting there in shock, "I-I'm boring?"

Sora, finally able to move, rolled over to his knees and began to trail on, "They need you. You have to find them" he whispered. Sora did this normally to stop himself from falling into depressed states although it's starting to not help as much as it did before. As he walked for what seemed like forever, he spotted a small fountain ahead. His slow jog turned into a speeding run as he rushed towards it. This came from desperation rather than thirst. Right before he even reached a foot from the fountain, he scrunched up his legs and sprang towards it. He landed on the ledge of it, sitting on it as though he was a frog 'You're really starting to scare me kid' Roxas said as Sora hunched over the water, shoveling each handful into his mouth. "Yeah well who the hell asked you?!" he screamed back before slurping the cold water out of his palm. Suddenly, a feeling rang out through him, he almost jumped clear out of his skin; the shock was so horrible. "Did you feel that?" he asked, although Roxas wasn't actually there, Sora felt as though he had the same bewildered look as he did. 'It's...strange, I've never felt anything like it before.' Sora, frightened by the event, took one last sip of water before, once again, running. As he looked downward at a large opening in the stones that created a rather large canyon, he automatically decided that he will look on the other side of the canyon.

The shadows hid a tall figure in wait. "Master, do you think this is a good idea? I mean he could kill us with little effort!" Azzama laughed at the boy's concern, "Oh? Do you doubt my wisdom? Besides, this time we won't have any distractions and he will be awakened." The boy shook his head, "No he won't, even if you succeed what if he refuses it? You just ca—ugh" he felt the cold blades penetrate his body as his fellow members punished his actions. He stared back at them, studying their faces for any kind of remorse but to no avail. They slid their Keyblades out of his near dead body, "Now maybe you should reconsider your words" his master, standing over him, mocked his pain. "…you are a fool Azzama, to believe that you can control a-" his body froze as though it was trapped in the time after that blade entered the base of his skull. "Now, we stay here and wait for the prey to run into our trap."

Sora was getting used to the pain, his knees stopped trying to buckle under himself and his head was no longer pounding. He felt very confident that this was going to end well as each step seemed much lighter than the one before. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were right around the corner Roxas." He laughed. There was a thick feeling in the air, Sora turned around to see a long shadow almost seem to come out of the wall, "Now we can talk privately" Sora was surprised at this, "W-what are you?" it pulled, what looked like its head, off and to reveal it was that man from earlier. "Now, my child, don't you want to be strong enough to do anything you please?" Sora clenched his teeth and reared his hand back as the Keyblade accumulated in his hand. "I would rather get that way on my own." The man just laughed before three figures appeared behind him, "My, this is very unfair, four of my followers against the osanagokoro o tenshi, but I don't mind that you have the upper hand." Sora let the words process in his mind, "osanagokoro o tenshi? Why did he call me that?" as he pondered this, it left his backside open for an attack, one of the cloaked figures saw this and tossed her Keyblade violently towards him, only for him to catch it effortlessly without even breaking his concentration. "Child's heart in an angel..." he shrugged the name off and snapped his fingers, causing the ground to crack open for Azzama and his men to fall into. Sora didn't seem angst any longer, he knew his job and all he had to do was that.

Riku waved his arm to signal the others to halt, "Something's wrong, I don't know what but it's…" as the words trailed off; he looked to his left to see the corpse of a boy about his age, "Death." Kairi screamed at the sight of it yet Thorn seemed eerily calm, "looks like one of oldie's followers had a disagreement, oh well, one less thug to worry about" she then pulled then gun out of it's holster and checked to see if it was full and felt around in a pouch to see if there were a sufficient supply of bullets to take out several foes. Kairi, on the other hand, was curled up in a ball and crying. Riku shook his head, exasperated by the entire thing, "Why don't we just rest till tomorrow." Thorn, checking the body for any sign of life, glanced up at him, "We'll I'm not sleeping with this body around!" Riku just laid down and gave up, not offering a solution of any kind. "Fine!" she barked, "Screw this!" she then stomped over to a corner, farthest away from the cadaver as possible, and stretched out on the hard rock.

"Aw, aren't you a sweet one?" Kairi's voice broke the silence and the argument. As they looked up at her they saw that a black-furred wolf licking her face. Riku jumped up and immediately began shooing it away, "Go home!" he yelled as he pushed the dog away from her. Kairi sprang to it's side and started petting it gently "Oh Riku! Why are you so protective? He's just a lonely little baby." Riku pointed to it in a disgruntled manner, "That thing is a rabies infected wild animal!" he screamed. The wolf jumped up and began running towards him right before running into Riku, it stopped. "What the hell was that about?" Riku asked, not wanting an answer. The animal began nudging his jacked while Kairi laughed, "He likes you!" Riku began to pet it until he heard a ripping sound, it had chewed a large hole in his jacket and pulled it off, "Hey!" he called after it, "Come back here you little-" as he ran after it, he didn't realize that the girls were right behind him.

Sora stood there, soothing his heart of all doubts, bracing himself for any surprise attack. The stood idle for quite a few minuets before two of Azzama's followers pounced, Keyblades drawn. Sora didn't have any trouble with them; he quickly caught one's blade with his own, slamming him to the ground. The other one had jumped too early and, as he flew over his head, Sora quickly jammed his foot into the boy's gut. As they both were trying to recover, he leaped toward their leader, aiming a clear shot at his head when suddenly something pulled him down. When his head hit the hard stone, he heard something pop as a numbness shot through his left arm. "Hah! So this is the mighty osanagokoro o tenshi that I keep hearing about?" Sora signaled his hand, forcing fire to shoot upward and hit her, sending her clothes and hair ablaze. Azzama clapped in apretiation of Sora's victory, "My, you did defeat them, I knew you would." Sora charged himself at him yet as he thrust his Keyblade, the old man quickly avoided it and plunged a dagger deep into his wound.

The wolf ran around a corner as Riku knelt behind the wall of the canyon, looking to the others he motioned to pounce. He shot out from the shadows and landed on the animal, although as he sat up, he saw the nightmarish image. Sora was on his knees, his head tilted back as far as it would go, with a knife's handle hanging out of his chest. Kairi shrieked in terror and rushed over towards him. Azzama looked up at Riku, a grin spread across his face, "Oh dear, you're too late, the Osanagokoro is awakening and you don't have much time left." He pressed his long fingernails against Kairi's cheek, "Dear girl, can you not understand? Why are you waiting for your death at that boy's side?" As Kairi pulled Sora closer to herself he just fell limp in her arms, revealing his white, glazed over eyes. "What did you do to him?!" her voice was shaking yet she was more defensive than afraid. Whilst Azzama was distracted, Riku summoned his Keyblade and swung it next to his waist before sliding towards him. Azzama, moving faster than anyone would think he could, slid to the side so when Riku swung his Keyblade he couldn't make the reach. As Riku ran by harmlessly, Azzama raised a leg for him to fall over. Riku knew this trick and easily jumped over it and, as he landed, he slid his foot to the ground to keep himself from falling over. Thorn, obviously not knowing what to do, began shooting in their direction, grazing the old man and whisked past the teen's head. "What the Hell do you think you're doing?!" Riku screamed as he hit the floor, covering his head with his hands.

Beads of sweat raced down Kairi's face, only able to watch, she felt so helpless. Thorn resorted to hysterics and began slamming her pistol against the ground before throwing it towards Azzama's direction. Riku jumped up from his crouching position and ran for the bluish, jagged wall ahead of him. Azzama looked around at the three, he raised his hand and smiled, "Well, I would admit he didn't choose very useful acquaintances now did he?" Riku gritted his teeth slammed his foot into his back, screaming "Shut up already!" Azzama turned around and slammed him to the ground. "I thought you would treat your elders better than that." He coughed, "Wait." He walked around Riku and sternly stared at the boy, "You're not normal are you?" after the third circle he stomped his foot against Riku's back, forcing a small whimper out of him, "Your heart is clothed in Darkness, but it's not yours…oh, I see" he jammed his foot into the boy's side as a look of joy came upon his face, "Well I see the Osanagokoro isn't the only time bomb" he swiped up Thorn's handgun and began firing rounds into Riku's body. Riku gasped as every bullet pierced his skin; after it was all over Azzama tossed the gun into the crevice and laughed. Riku was on the ground, trembling in pain until he also started laughing, it was hysterical and seemed to echo all around them. He raised up his head, hands clutching his face, and began to slam it into the ground all while they watched. After this sudden moment of self destruction, he sat up, his fingers where still covering his face, all except for one eye. It was a shade of yellow that seemed almost catlike; they stared blankly towards them before black flames consumed his body. Azzama bent down and offered him a hand up, "Now that wasn't so ba-" Riku slung up towards him with an uppercut which knocked the old man to the ground. "Idiot!" he barked, "Give me the boy and I won't have to execute you all." Kairi immediately knew that this was no longer Riku. Azzama pointed to Sora, "You can have him if he doesn't kill you first." The person inside of Riku turned to Thorn, "Hey love" he smiled, "I need help with this guy." He approached her calmly and pressed his fingers against her arm, "Come on, I know you have another firearm on you." Kairi jumped up and broke his grasp, "Don't touch her Ansem!" She screamed, not considering what would happen to herself, "You aren't getting anyone!" Ansem's eyes widened, "Why are you here Princess? Don't you have to go aid the boy?" he laughed and pointed in her face, "You're not useful for anything else!" Tears welled up in her eyes. _'I am useless'_ she thought to herself.

Panic rose in Sora's heart, he could see all that was happening yet he couldn't move. The scenery began to morph from the cold canyons of Radiant Gardens to a small meadow surrounded by nothing but white light. "Where am I?" he asked, not expecting an answer, "You don't know? I thought you were here before." Said a man's voice, suddenly Sora realized that he was standing exactly behind him. He felt the person chuckle to himself, "Don't worry Sora, you did your part, just let go and you'll be fine." Sora closed his eyes and begun breath deeply, "I know too much" he shook his head as though he could shake out the memories, "I don't know what to do with this." The man laughed at this, "You don't have to worry about a thing, you'll know when the time comes" Neither of them turned around to look at each other, Sora felt himself slip into a kind of sleep. He turned his head without looking over his shoulder, "Will it take long?" The man shook his head, "It won't be long." The field seemed to dissolve in the flurry of light, "Don't be afraid, you hold the most powerful weapon in the world."

Ansem stood over them, beaming with pride, "You weren't that hard to take down" he commented to Kairi, sobbing at Thorn's side, "A simple phrase and you give up." He laughed at her before kicking her down, "Are you really that weak?" Azzama's laughter rung through the walls of the canyon, cutting off Ansem's taunting, "I win!" He yelled as Sora stood up, Keyblade drawn. Ansem cocked an eyebrow, "What's this?" Sora seemed different than before "Say something boy!" he called, Sora smiled before slamming his blade's handle against his face, causing skin and blood to splatter everywhere. Azzama ran over to him, arms open, "My child you have finally awakened!" Sora froze as he approached him. As Azzama took his arm, Sora sliced the Keyblade into his body, causing the man to scream in agony. "I'm not your child." He whispered before cutting deeper until the blade came out, Azzama's cold body fell over, his torso sliding off first. Ansem, resorting to panic, tried to stab Kairi yet she kicked backwards to quickly for him to reach. She looked over at Azzama and then as Sora, "Tachi-" she looked over to Thorn trembling in fear, "saru-" She up at Ansem, towering above her, "Hyoukyo!" She screamed as a beam of light hit Riku, knocking him to the ground. Sora walked over to them forcing worry to rise in her, "S-Sora!" she yelled. Riku sat up, holding his head, "Sora?" he asked looking up at him, "What happened?" Sora looked at both of the solemnly, "I'm not Sora."

END OF CHAPTER 2

Author's Note: I would like to show appreciation for my fans at . Thank you F[r]iend, I-am-Axel-fear-me-NOW, Sora96 and GoofyDonaldSora for their support and encouraging me to write again.

Wow, I thought this would be shorter than the last one (which was about 4000 words lolz) but I made it about as big as the last chapter. Well, all are probably thinking "Who is in Sora?" well, here's a hint; it's not the person who saved him. The person who saved him will end up being a late arrival; in fact his appearance is so late that Sora is like 18 when it happens. Well, at least when he ACTUALLY revealed as a fellow character but you see his face way sooner than that. Until then he's just a minor enigma. No it's not a spoiler that I say he's male. I mean Sora admits that it has a man voice. Either way I'm not sure if it can even be considered male since he has no physical body but anyway just call it a boy.

For all of you people who are worried that I will leave out characters, not to worry! I will open spaces that will be filled by Aqua, Terra, Ventus, and Xion. BUT I will not just throw dead characters into my story (I'm not like that at all, it MUST fit) so if you want me to pull someone out of thin air, tough luck. It's most likely that they will be in a flashback or dream but probably nothing else.

Oh yeah and about the wolf, that's Zack, this is probably the only time he will be saving Sora. Other times he will just roam around and watch over Cloud. But he WILL serve a purpose later on.

Every time I try to type Azzama, my hands magically type Axxel. I think it's because Azzama is just a name I pulled out of thin air. Lol. Anyway um I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you, I haven't written anything seriously since school ended so bear with me.

I have this worry that when Kingdom Hearts III comes out, people will stop reading my story. I don't know why. But I hope my fans won't stop and I also hope I get more fans since new members keep joining almost every week here. By the way, I'm going to draw art as a cover for each chapter (starting chapter 3)

Terms:

osanagokoro o tenshi – a child's heart in an angel (I chose this name for later use, Sora isn't an angel but this will make more since after a few more chapters)

Tachisaru hyoukyo – it's a phrase meaning Leave Devil/Demon Possession (Most of Kairi's attacks are defensive and I chose to give them Japanese names while her few offensive attacks are English so they should be easy to tell apart)


End file.
